Swimming pool wall

ABSTRACT

A SWIMMING POOL WALL IS FORMED OF UNIFORM SECTIONS OF MOLDED STRUCTURAL FOAM SECURED TOGETHER, AND THE SECTIONS INCLUDE: A FRONT FACING WALL, A BASE INTEGRAL WITH THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE FACING WALL, END WALLS INTEGRAL WITH THE TOP EDGE OF THE FACING WALL, END WALLS INTEGRAL WITH THE FACING WALL, THE BASE, AND THE COPING WALL, THE END WALLS HAVING PROJECTIONS AND RECESSES FITTING TOGETHER FOR ALIGNMENT OF THE SECTIONS, AND A RIB INTEGRAL WITH THE BASE, THE COPING WALL, AND THE BACK OF THE FACING WALL. D R A W I N G

Feb. 23,- 1971 G. F. ARP I 3,564,791

SWIMMING POOL WALL Filed Feb. 27, 1969 INVENTOR.

GEORGE E ARP BYQ z, a 1

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Olfice 3,564,791 Patented Feb. 23, 19713,564,791 SWIMMING POOL WALL George F. Arp, 557 Whitney Road, Fairport,N.Y. 14450 Filed Feb. 27, 1969, Ser. No. 802,849 Int. Cl. E02d 27/00;E04h 3/16 U.S. Cl. 52-169 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE THEINVENTIV-E IMPROVEMENT Previously, the walls of in-the-ground swimmingpools have been constructed at the site in an expensive and laboriousprocess. Many parts were fitted and fastened together and a separatecoping was installed along the top of the pool wall. 1

The invention involves the discovery that pool walls can be made ofuniform sections of molded structural foam if each section is shaped ina specified way. Such structural foam sections can be handled manuallyat the site and can be quickly set in place and secured together to forma pool wall substantially less expensive than previous pool walls. Also,such molded structural foam sections preferably include an integralcoping wall along the top so that no separate coping parts are needed.

In addition to the advantages of easy assembly and installation,structural foam can be made rot-proof, mildewproof, rust-proof, andcapable of long life in the ground. This means that pool walls builtaccording to the invention are not only less expensive but also lastlonger and give more satisfactory service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive swimming pool wall is formed of aplurality of uniform sections of molded structural foam secured togetherwith each of the sections having: a vertical flat facing wall continuousfor the length of the section; a base formed integrally with the bottomof the facing wall and extending perpendicularly and outwardly from theback of the facing wall; a coping wall formed integrally with the top ofthe facing wall and extending outwardly from the back of the facingwall; end walls formed integrallywith the facing wall, the base, and thecoping wall and the mutually abut-ting surfaces of the end walls ofadjacentlsections having aligned projections and recesses for alignmentof adjacent sections; and ribs formed integrally with the base, thecoping wall, and the back of the facing wall to extend between thecoping wall and the base.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a rear elevation of a pool wall section according tothe invention showing a fragment of an adjacent DETAILED DESCRIPTION Theinventive pool wall sections 10 illustrated in the drawings are moldedof structural foam material and secured together to form the walls ofin-the-ground swimming pools. Structural foam is formed of a variety ofplastic materials including polyethylene, polystyrene, and others, in aprocess that forms molded objects of substantial size that are strongenough for structural purposes. Such structural foam material offersmany advantages as a sectional swimming pool wall, and a preferredconfiguration of such wall sections is shown in the drawmgs.

Each of the sections 10 has a vertical, flat, facing wall 11 continuousfor the length of the section and disposed to form the inside of thepool wall. Wall 11 extends from top to bottom and end to end of eachsection 10 to support a liner containing the pool water.

A base 12 is formed integrally with facing wall 11 along the bottom edgeof facing wall 11. Base 12 is perpendicular to facing wall 11 andextends outwardly relative to the pool from the back of facing wall 11.Base 12 is relatively wide, as illustrated, to afford a secure footingfor section 10.

A coping wall 13 is formed integrally with facing wall 11 at the top offacing wall 11. Coping wall 13 extends outwardly relative to the poolfrom the back of facing wall 11, and preferably has a curved top 14, asillustrated, to provide a swimming pool coping. Curved top 14-preferably extends forward of the front face of facing wall 11 in acurved edge 15 slightly overhanging the pool water. A slot 16 ispreferably molded in the top of the front face of facing wall 11 justbelow curved edge 15 to extend longitudinally of each section 10 toprovide an anchorage for the swimming pool liner.

At least one rib 17 is formed integrally with base 12, coping wall 13,and the back of facing wall 11 to extend vertically between coping wall13 and base 12. Sections 10 can be made in any convenient length andpreferably several ribs 17 are used on each section 10, especially ifrelatively long sections are used. Ribs 17 can be oriented other thanvertically.

End walls 18 and 19 are formed integrally with coping wall 13, facingwall 11, and base 12 at each end of sections 10. End walls 18 and 19 aredisposed in mutually abutting relation, as shown in FIG. 1, betweenadjacent sections 10. Each end wall 19 has projections 20 extendingoutward in the longitudinal direction of sections 10 from the outer faceof end wall 19, and each end wall 18 has recesses 21 extending inward inthe longitudinal direction of sections 10 from the outer face of endwall 18. When adjacent sections 10 are placed together in abuttingrelation as shown in FIG. 1, projections 20 extend into recesses 21 toalign sections 10 accurately. Many other arrangements of projections andrecesses for alignment of sections 10 are possible within the spirit ofthe invention. Aligned and abutted sections fitted together with mutualprojections and recesses are secured together by any convenient meanssuch as bolts 22.

A corner piece 23 is shown in FIG. 3 for connecting pairs of sections 10at right angles to each other at the corners of the pool wall. End wall18 of section 23 has recesses 21 for receiving projections 20 of an endwall 19 of an adjacent section 10, and end wall 19 of corner piece 23has projections 20 to fit into recesses 21 in an end wall 18 of anadjacent section 10. The top 24 of corner piece 23 is given a copingshape matching the top 14 of sections 10. A vertical rib 25 is formedintegrally with corner piece 23 to extend from the bottom to the top ofcorner piece 23 to strengthen corner piece 23.

In use, sections 10 are light enough to be handled manually, and aremerely set in place in the excavation, aligned, fitted together withinterlocking projections and recesses, and secured together to form acontinuous pool wall. No separate coping or other parts are required,and

after the wall is made, it is merely necessary to backfill theexcavation, fit the lining in place, and secure it in slot 1'6.Structural foam sections 10 provide an accurate fit, standard andunerring sizes, lightweight, resilience and easy assembly. They are alsorust-proof, rot-proof, mildew-proof, and enjoy a long life afterinstallation.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that otherembodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances.Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing andclaiming the invention, this should not inhibit broader or relatedapplications within the spirit of the invention. For example, differentstrengthening ribs and different projections and recesses for aligningadjacent sections can be used within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A swimming pool wall comprising:

(a) a plurality of uniform sections;

(b) means for securing said sections together;

(c) said sections being formed of molded structural foam and comprising:

(1) a vertical, fiat, facing wall continuous for the length of saidsection;

(2) a base, formed integrally with said facing wall;

(3) said base extending along the bottom of said facing wall;

(4) said base being perpendicular to said facing wall;

(5) a coping wall formed integrally with said facing wall;

(6) said coping wall extending along the top of said facing wall;

(7) said coping wall extending outwardly from the back of said facingwall;

(8) end walls formed integrally with said facing wall, said base, andsaid coping wall;

(9) said end walls extending vertically between said base and saidcoping wall at each end of said section;

(10) said end walls extending outwardly from the back of said facingwall;

(11) said end walls of adjacent ones of said sections having. mutuallyabutting surfaces;

(12) said mutually abutting surfaces having 4 aligned projections andrecesses arranged for fitting together to align said adjacent sections;

( 13) a rib between said end walls;

(14) said rib being formed integrally with the top of said base, thebottom of said coping wall, and the back of said facing wall; and

(15) said coping wall having a curved portion extending forward of thefront face of said facing wall.

2. The swimming pool wall of claim 1 wherein said sections and saidrecesses are on anopposite end of said sections.

3. The swimming pool wall of claim 1 wherein the front face of saidfacing wall is formed with a shallow, longitudinal slot in the region ofsaid coping wall.

4. The swimming pool wall of claim 1 including molded structural foamcorner pieces arranged to connect pairs of said sections orientedperpendicular to each other.

5. The swimming pool wall of claim 4 wherein said corner pieces includeend walls having said projections and said recesses.

6. The swimming pool wall of claim 4 wherein said front face of saidfacing wall is formed with a shallow slot on the region of said copingwall.

7. The swimming pool wall of claim 6 wherein said projections are on oneend of said sections and said recesses are on an opposite end of saidsections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,648 5/1890 Webb 52-5931,589,938 6/1926 Burney 52-602 3,271,787 9/1966 Clary 4-172 3,410,04411/1968 Moog 52439 FOREIGN PATENTS 129,442 7/ 1919 Great Britain 52-602FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGILL, J 11., AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 52-602; 4-172

